6/12 Get To The Finish Line

Date: Tuesday June 12, 2012
Today's Chapters: Psalms 1-9Message Title: Get To The Finish Line

Hello My Friend,
As Christians we truly have no idea the power we have in being a child of God, whether we are faithful to Him during good or bad times, whether we fall and get back up several times, or whether we crawl to the finish line, He will help us get to the finished line. Everything we go through is in His will, while we cannot avoid some of the challenges we will encounter we can find joy through them. “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” - Ephesians 5:17-19.
The Book of Psalms is the nineteenth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains one hundred-fifty chapters. The author of the book is mostly David, but a few other men also. The book was first written to the Israelites and it's purpose was to show them that prayer, praise, confession, and intercession are an important part in worshiping God. It is the song, prayer and praise book of the Bible. What we are to learn from the book is that all who delight in having God in their lives will prosper. “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” - Psalms 1:3.

The Book of Psalms, are the prayers, songs, and saying of David and other men who, like us, knew they were sinners saved by grace. They rejoiced over the joys that God brought them, they cried over their sorrows, they sought forgiveness of sin, they pleaded with God, had questions for Him, and even praised Him when they were afflicted by their own willful doings. They knew they would one day stand before God in judgment. “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” - Psalm 1:4-6.

We will all stand one day for judgment, those who do not know Jesus will perish. This is nothing new, even David knew that in order to live he needed the Son. “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” - Psalm 2:11,12. The first challenge every person must pass is believing that without the Son, they will perish. Those who Kiss the Son, are saved. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - 1 John 5:11,12. 

The second challenge every person must pass is confession, we must admit we are sinners, Christ died for the sinner, not the saint. David knew he was saved and that Christ (LORD) was the only one who could save him. “LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.” - Psalm 3:1-4,8.

David already knew Jesus existed and although Jesus would not come until hundreds of years later, he still looked to Him for his salvation. The people of the Old Testament looked to what Jesus would do on the cross for their salvation, today, we look to what Jesus did on the cross for ours. Those who believe in Christ, before or after He died on the cross to save them are one of God's. “But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.” - Psalm 4:3-5.

The word Selah is written in the Book of Psalms seventy-one times, it means to ponder, to think about what has been said. God saw David as the apple of His eye, yet he was without sin, none of us is without sin, when you stop to ponder just how merciful God is and that He saves all who believe in His Son, regardless of what they did, we too can rejoice with David through the affliction we face for our sins. “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” - Psalm 5:11,12.

While God's judgment is upon all who sin, whether we are forgiven or not, His judgment is just and we need to accept His judgment. “The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.” - Psalm 7:8,9,17.
If you truly stop to think about God's judgment, it is less severe than what we would get if we stood before an earthly judge. None of us would be left because people would be killing off each other for the dumbest things. We too will fall and although we are forgiven, we will face some affliction for our sins, but they will not last, and God will even help us through them too. It is amazing that no matter how many times we mess up, God is merciful and has enough grace to not only save us from our sins, but comfort us during the affliction we caused all on our own. “But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” - Psalm 9:7-10.

No matter how many times we mess up, no matter how many times we kick, scream, and walk away, God never gives up on us because He knows our hearts and if they are trusting only that Christ can save them then He will get us to the finish line, eventually. It's not what we do for before we are saved, but after we are saved that gets us to the finish line. “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” - Matthew 16:27.
Today's Prayer: God, I want to live my live according to Your will, I know that often comes with some challenges, and while I am willing to accept the challenges, they are much harder to endure when I am face to face with them. Lord, You are my comfort, my peace, and my joy through my challenges, but much too often I let them blind me from seeing that I am a sinner saved by grace, that You love me, and that You are putting me through this for a reason. Give me Your power to endure my challenges, judge me according to my integrity and not my doubt because I truly believe that with You I will get to the finish line. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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